Rowland Concerto integrated vs Rowland Capri & 102

not sure why you would compress the digital files Rkny when hard drive room on a pc is so cheap these days and you are spending bucks on the preamp/amp?

can anyone compare the rowland capri with the ayre k1xe?

Karmapolice, the only direct comparison I had the opportunity to make is of the Capri with my own ARC Ref 3. See:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1200110667&openfrom&22&4#22
I realize this may not be terribly helpful. . . Unfortunately extrapolative comparisons in this hobby are a tricky business at best.

I'm not compressing music anymore. I started my digital music collection in 1998, when I didn't know any better. Much of the collection was from those dark days. And I stupidly sold off most of my CDs, so re-ripping is not an option.

On a side note, I experienced something odd today. I have the Apple TV hooked up to my TV via HDMI. I also run RCAs direct from the Apple TV to input 2 on my Capri. My TV is also connected to the Capri via RCA at input 1.

Apple TV simultaneously outputs sound via HDMI and RCA; this I knew. But by accident, after setting things up, I listened to a few tracks with the Capri set to input 1 (the TV). The sound was great. When I realized I was listening to the Apple TV via TV to Capri, I switched over to input 2 (Apple TV direct to Capri) and the sound was identical. No noise. No loss of signal. Identical. I A/B'd multiple times.

Does this mean the Apple TV's output is so bad that it doesn't matter what I pipe it through? Could the HDMI possibly render an identical signal as RCAs direct from the Apple TV? It seems so odd not to hear any difference, even after the signal has passed from an HDMI cable, thru a Samsung TV, out via cheapo Samung RCA ports, into the Capri with some lower end (but nice sounding) ICs.

Hi - I'm starting a system from scratch, was impressed with Rowland's equipment, and looking at a used Rowland Concerto without ever having heard one. Any thoughts on the Concerto? What speakers and interconnects do you like with Rowland - I've heard the Concerto is 'warm' and 'brite'. - Hope I'm not hi-jacking your topic here but any advise would be interesting. I'm probably looking in the used 3-4K range. I've heard some B&W 804s on other equipment that I thought I liked pretty well - also plan to check out Paradigm Signature S6. Rock/Jazz/Classical - soft to very loud.

I have heard the Concerto pre but not the integrated, and it is not at all too bright, at least on the Vienna Acoustics gear I listened it on. . . but yest it did have just a hint of warmth. But for just about the same investment, why not get a pair of used 201 monos and a Capri? Both of these are compatible with the external PC1 device that you can add at a later time. It seems Vienna Acoustics speakers work particularly well with Rowland. I would suggest the Beethoven Baby Grands or the larger Beethoven Grands with either the 201 monos or the Concerto.